Shin Megami Tensei: Vanguard
Grade 4
The Unrelenting Sun Goddess
Disclaimer: I do not own Cardfight! Vanguard or the Megami Tensei franchise. All creative rights go to their respective owners, Bushiroad and Atlus. I do however, own the Megaten clan and my OC's Minegishi Kazuya and Louisa Ferre. Fenikkusumaru owns his OC Kururugi Kurogasa and the Courier Saints clan.
After my victory against Kurogasa, I went to take a seat while the ten-minute intermission passed. I took out my deck and began looking through it intently, rereading every card and every effect.
"You're serious all of a sudden," Louisa noted.
'It can't be helped.' I answered back in my thoughts. 'Now is when all the strong fighters are weeded out. I can't afford to mess up in my matches, so I have to make sure I know every possible combo with this deck.'
"I know you said Aichi could be trouble, but what about everyone else?"
'Kamui may not look it, but he's much stronger than my fight with him yesterday let on.' I explained. 'Kai has the qualifications to be a pro, so he'd be an issue; and then Misaki… Well I guess you'll see for yourself soon enough. I should be going against her next.'
"Alright, everyone! Now that we've had our little intermission, it's time to start the next round!" Shin announced once ten minutes had passed. Another minute or so went by before the next round pairings were posted up for everyone to see.
A Block: Aichi vs. Ninja Master M
B Block: Misaki vs. Kazuya
C Block: Kamui vs. Yuma
D Block: Kai vs. Yusei
"Thought so…" I muttered to myself after seeing the resulting pairs.
"Everyone make sure to do your best! I expect to see some exciting cardfights!" Shin added before stepping off to the side.
"Kazuya," I turned to see Misaki walking towards me. I nodded in greeting. "I hope we can have a good cardfight."
"Sure thing." I answered. "I won't be holding anything back."
"Great. In that case I'll give my all too." she replied and smiled before walking away.
"Dude, you're something else!"
I turned to see someone else approaching me as Misaki left; a young man with stylish brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a blue school uniform like the ones worn by Miwa and Kai, which led me to assume he went to the same school. As a personal touch he also wore a yellow scarf around his neck. The young man stopped in front of me with this sort of excited look on his face.
"Well, thanks…" I replied while putting my cards down.
"I mean it man! That last match was sweet!" the young man added. "Those cards of yours are awesome too. What did you call them, "Megaten"?" He glanced down at the table where my cards were laid out. "That's them! Hey, mind if I take a look?"
"Sure, but-" But before I could finish my sentence, the new guy had picked up some of my cards and was reading through them like he was a kid in a candy store. "So who are you exactly?"
"Oh that's right, I almost forgot." the young man laughed before putting my cards down. "Shijima Daichi at your service. I'm a regular at this shop."
"That's nice," I replied back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm preparing for my match…" And with that I went back to looking through my deck.
"So, you and the counter girl, huh?" Daichi suddenly asked, all but ignoring what I said and prompting me to look up from the table again.
"What the hell are you on about now?" I deadpanned.
"I didn't know you had it in ya. It's pretty rare to see someone fall for her." Daichi replied.
"Oh please…" I rolled my eyes.
"No, seriously. When it comes to her, she's a complete turn-off for other men."
"I hope you realize I'm right here."
The two of us turned to see Misaki standing nearby glaring intensely at Daichi, who instantly tensed up.
"W-Whoa, don't worry! It's just a prank, I swear! It's a social experiment!" Daichi stammered.
More glares from Misaki. "I sure hope that's true." she said darkly.
Aaaaaaaaaannnnnd that's one point for the stoic badass.
Said stoic badass then turned to me and smiled again, just like that. "Don't listen to this idiot. I'm actually really nice to be with." she said.
"Trust me, I had no intention of taking him seriously to begin with." I replied as Daichi slumped over in depression.
"So cruel, both of you…" He muttered.
"Hey, you brought it on yourself, not me." I pointed out.
"That's true," Misaki said.
I would act concerned, but… Well I'm not much of an actor.
The tournament went on as normal after that little encounter. Aichi won his match against a guy who did a terrible job of acting as a ninja, Kamui managed to win his fight, and Kai didn't even break a sweat. And now with the last match of the round right in front of me, it was time for me to step up.
"We've now reached the final match for the semifinals!" Shin announced as everyone gathered around the table Misaki and I were fighting at. "To my left, we have the wild card of the event, Minegishi Kazuya, pioneer of the Megaten!" He then turned to his niece. "And at my right we have a skilled user of the Oracle Think Tank, my favorite niece, Tokura Misaki!" The audience clapped as the both of us prepped our decks, placed them down, and set our starting Vanguards before drawing our five cards. "Are both players ready?"
"Of course," I answered dismissively as I reached out for my Vanguard.
"Yes." Misaki replied as she did the same.
"Then let the game begin!" Shin declared.
"STAND UP! (MY) VANGUARD!"
The battlefield became a massive rocky plain with plateaus rising up in the distance. Nearby, a small pond could be seen that rippled as we emerged on Cray. I soon transformed into my signature starting unit; the green-armored warrior carrying a spear. [Fairy Knight, Tam Lin - 5000 Power]
"Fairy Knight, Tam Lin!"
As for Misaki, she changed into a slightly taller and older version of herself wearing pink and white armor on her shoulders, legs and torso that hardly covered her body and a metallic wreath floated behind her head. She primed the white staff tipped with two diamond–shaped gems she held in her hands and looked towards me, prepared for battle. [Lozenge Magus - 3000 Power]
"Lozenge Magus!"
"Ladies first." I offered.
"Thank you." Misaki smiled. "Draw." She announced, drawing the top card of her deck. "I Ride Oracle Guardian, Gemini!"
On the field, Lozenge Magus transformed into two identical mechanical babies with yellow hair and metallic wing–like appendages on their backs, allowing them to levitate. Each of them had a happy but empty expression on their faces. [Oracle Guardian, Gemini - 8000 Power]
"Since I rode this card on top of Lozenge Magus, I can her move out of the Soul and place her in the Rear Guard." Misaki continued, moving Lozenge Magus behind Oracle Guardian, Gemini.
On the battlefield, Lozenge Magus reappeared behind the Vanguard. [Lozenge Magus - 3000 Power]
"That ends my turn." Misaki finished.
Kazuya
Back Row: Empty / Empty / Empty
Front Row: Empty / Fairy Knight, Tam Lin / Empty
Hand: 5
Damage: None
Misaki
Front Row: Empty / Oracle Guardian, Gemini / Empty
Back Row: Empty / Lozenge Magus / Empty
Hand: 5
Damage: None
"I draw," I said as I drew my sixth card. I looked at the cards I had and turned up the corner of my mouth. 'Here's an interesting combination I haven't tried yet…' I then plucked a card from my hand. "And I ride Horseman of Conquest, White Rider!"
Tam Lin transformed into the cloaked skeletal figure riding on his stark white horse and carrying a longsword, with his mount neighing as it galloped forward. [Horseman of Conquest, White Rider - 6000 Power]
"Tam Lin moves back," I added as I slid my Grade 0 behind White Rider. "Next I call Lost Soul, Pyro Jack!"
Appearing to the left of my horseman was the pumpkin-headed Jack. [Lost Soul, Pyro Jack - 7000 Power]
"He has two units in the same row…" I heard Misaki muse.
'She expects me to use Change early on.' I gathered. 'Not here… The units I have right now won't do much good being changed. And besides, I need to make sure this gets in the soul.' I glanced towards my Vanguard at that thought. "Boosted by Tam Lin, White Rider attacks the Vanguard!"
Misaki raised an eyebrow at this before saying, "No guard."
"He's not Changing?" Aichi wondered. "That's not like him."
"Checking the Drive trigger," I said as I flipped over the top card.
[Drive Check - Ice Spirit, Jack Frost - No Trigger]
Tam Lin transferred his powers to White Rider[6000 Power + 5000 Power = 11000 Power] and the latter of the two charged forward, his longsword primed and ready to cut down any enemies before him. The undead horseman swung his sword at the mecha babies, sending them flying back while my Vanguard retreated to my field once again.
"Damage Trigger, check," Misaki said, revealing the top card.
[Damage Check – Battle Sister, Chocolat – No Trigger]
'That'll be one less Perfect Guard I have to deal with later, but still…' I mused in my thoughts. 'I can't let up just yet.' "Next, Pyro Jack attacks your Vanguard! And I activate his skill! When Pyro Jack attacks while I have at least one other Megaten in the rear-guard, he gets an additional 2000 Power!"
Flames built up in Pyro Jack's lantern as his power rose slightly. [7000 Power + 2000 Power = 9000 Power]
"Guard, Dream Eater!" Misaki said, placing the card in the Guardian Circle.
Pyro Jack let the fire built up in his lantern loose in a small but continuous stream that was aimed at Gemini. However, someone else suddenly appeared and intercepted the attack; a strange black creature with long reddish-orange hair, the trunk of an elephant, and an odd headdress on its head. The new unit took the brunt of the attack and vanished soon after. [8000 Power + 5000 Shield = 13000 Power]
"Hm, I end my turn there." I finished.
Kazuya
Back Row: Empty / Fairy Knight, Tam Lin / Empty
Front Row: Empty / Horseman of Conquest, White Rider / Lost Soul, Pyro Jack
Hand: 5
Damage: None
Misaki
Front Row: Empty / Oracle Guardian, Gemini / Empty
Back Row: Empty / Lozenge Magus / Empty
Hand: 4
Damage: Battle Sister, Chocolat [U]
"Draw." Misaki said, drawing her next card to increase her hand to five. "I Ride Oracle Guardian, Wiseman."
On the battlefield, Gemini transformed into a metal statue resembling The Thinker, with circuitry lines running along its body, and sitting on a metallic pedestal in the same pose as The Thinker. [Oracle Guardian, Wiseman - 10000 Power]
"Call. Silent Tom!" Misaki said next.
On Wiseman's left, a tall man in a black felt hat and suit rose up, sporting a bandaged face, black sunglasses, and pistol barrels in place of his fingertips. Hovering just behind him and to the side slightly was a pinkish ghost of a woman. [Silent Tom - 8000 Power]
"Boosted by Lozenge Magus, Wiseman attacks your Vanguard. With its skill activated Magus can add an additional 3000 Power along with its own." Misaki said, as she turned the cards sideways.
'Tch… no matter what I do here, I'm bound to lose some advantage…' I thought to myself as I scanned the cards in my hand. "I don't guard."
"Drive check." Misaki said, revealing the top card and it glowed red.
[Drive Check - Dream Eater - Draw Trigger]
"Draw Trigger! The Power goes to Silent Tom and I draw an additional card." Misaki said as she did just that.
Lozenge Magus pointed her staff at Wiseman and transferred her power to the statue. [10000 Power + 3000 Power + 3000 Power = 16000 Power] The mechanical Thinker statue then ratcheted its head, towards the White Horseman and its eyes glowed before firing a laser at it, exploding on contact.
"Damage check," I said as I flipped over the top card.
[Damage Check - Spirit of the Celestial Dance, Apsaras - No Trigger]
"Now I'll have Silent Tom attack your Vanguard. And when he attacks, you can't guard with Grade 0 units."
"In that case… Guard! Horseman of War, Red Rider! Horseman of Famine, Black Rider!" I countered while discarding the Grade 1 units. I smirked to myself, knowing that things were going according to plan.
Silent Tom aimed its forefinger and middle finger at White Rider in the shape of a gun, aimed at the horseman, and fired bullets in quick succession. [8000 Power + 5000 Power = 13000 Power] However at the same time, two more units intercepted the attack - the horsemen mounted atop red and black horses respectively. [6000 Power + 5000 Shield + 5000 Shield = 16000 Power]
"Turn end." Misaki concluded. "And Lozenge Magus returns to the Deck due to her own skill." She put said card back in the Deck and shuffled before passing.
Kazuya
Back Row: Empty / Fairy Knight, Tam Lin / Empty
Front Row: Empty / Horseman of Conquest, White Rider / Lost Soul, Pyro Jack
Hand: 3
Damage: Spirit of the Celestial Dance, Apsaras [U]
Misaki
Front Row: Silent Tom / Oracle Guardian, Wiseman / Empty
Back Row: Empty / Empty / Empty
Hand: 5
Damage: Battle Sister, Chocolat [U]
"Stand and draw." I announced as I stood my units and drew. I nodded approvingly at what I drew. "Ride! Keeper of Knowledge, Thoth!"
Appearing in place of the White Rider was a silver-furred baboon wearing ancient Egyptian clothing and carrying a leather tome with the Eye of Wdjat printed on both covers. [Keeper of Knowledge, Thoth - 8000 Power]
"Thoth? Not Yoshitsune?" I heard some others in the crowd wonder. I even saw Misaki quirk a brow.
"Activating Thoth's skill! I Soul Charge one to add a card with the Change ability to my hand from among the top five cards of my Deck." I announced as I took the top five cards and eyed them, smirking when I saw one in particular. I plucked it from the bunch and flipped it around for people to see. "I add… Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune."
[Soul Charge - Heavenly King, Jikokuten]
I then took Yoshitsune and raised him above my head.
"Strike the opposition with your dance of swords as your crimson armor shines! Crush the foolish oppression, my avatar! Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune!"
Rising up next to Thoth was none other than my signature Grade 2 unit, brandishing his twin blades and prepping for battle. [Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune - 9000 Power]
"And now, Thoth and Yoshitsune will Change!" I declared as I swapped the positions of my units. "Next I activate Yoshitsune's skill since I have three rear-guards! I Counter Blast! And now for this turn, Yoshitsune's Power increases by 2000 and he goes Critical!"
The crimson-armored swordsman let out a yell as he brandished his swords in response to his newfound power increase. He took a battle stance in preparation for the fight ahead. [Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune - 9000 Power + 2000 Power = 11000 Power, Critical: 1-2]
"And then Thoth's skill activates as well since he was changed! First I draw a card…" I added while tapping Thoth's card. "And now whenever he Intercepts an attack on a Megaten Vanguard, I can give him an extra 5000 Shield."
"An Especial Intercept?" I heard Misaki wonder to herself.
"Pyro Jack moves back, and then I call Ice Spirit, Jack Frost and Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime!" I continued as I placed my units down.
As Pyro Jack floated backwards to stand next to Tam Lin, the pudgy snowman demon appeared behind Thoth. At the same time, a woman with ashen skin and white hair appeared next to Yoshitsune, clothed in pink-and-white garments with pinkish armor situated at the waist.
"Here we go," I smirked. "Yoshitsune attacks the Vanguard with a boost from Tam Lin!"
"Guard! Psychic Bird!" Misaki countered while placing down the Draw Trigger she'd gotten last turn.
"Hmph, Drive Trigger, check." I declared as I revealed the top card, which gave off a pale red light. "Draw Trigger! The power goes to Yoshitsune and I draw."
The crimson swordsman dashed forward, his swords at the ready, as he received support from Tam Lin. [11000 Power + 5000 Power + 5000 Power = 21000 Power] At the last moment before he could strike at the statue, a bright green bird with blue and purple streaks in its feathers materialized and attempted to cut in, however Yoshitsune didn't let this hinder him and he merely cut through the opposition before getting two strong slashes in on Wiseman.
"Damage check." Misaki said before revealing her top two cards.
[Damage Check - Meteor Break Wizard - No Trigger]
[Damage Check - Dark Cat - No Trigger]
"And then Kikuri-Hime charges in boosted by Pyro Jack! And whenever Kikuri-Hime attacks a Vanguard, she gets another 2000 Power!" I said lastly.
"...No guard." Misaki responded.
Kikuri-Hime's power surged and swirled around her as it increased greatly. [9000 Power + 2000 Power + 7000 Power = 18000 Power] Fire materialized in her hands, which she then unleashed in the form of a large fireball that hit Wiseman, catching him in a small explosion.
"Damage check,"
[Damage Check - Miracle Kid - Draw Trigger]
"Draw Trigger! I give the power to Wiseman and I draw." Misaki decided.
"My turn's done." I concluded. [Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune - 11000-9000 Power, Critical: 2-1]
Kazuya
Back Row: Ice Spirit, Jack Frost / Fairy Knight, Tam Lin / Lost Soul, Pyro Jack
Front Row: Keeper of Knowledge, Thoth / Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune / Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime
Hand: 4
Damage: Spirit of the Celestial Dance, Apsaras [F]
Misaki
Front Row: Silent Tom / Oracle Guardian, Wiseman / Empty
Back Row: Empty / Empty / Empty
Hand: 4
Damage: Battle Sister, Chocolat [U], Meteor Break Wizard [U], Dark Cat [U], Miracle Kid [U]
"He's already pushed her to four damage?" Aichi gasped. "Kazuya is really strong…"
"I like his style." Miwa commented. "For someone who uses brute force, he does it pretty well."
"What do you mean?" Aichi asked his friend.
"He's been using lots of units that boost his power and let him deal more damage. But then he's also got ways to gain advantage." Miwa explained. "His deck is like the ultimate mix between power and tactics."
"So he's the total opposite to me," Kurogasa figured. He's still here? "No wonder he beat me…"
"That was definitely a twist, Kazuya." Misaki smiled. "I wasn't counting on you being able to get such strong attacks in. At first I thought that you were holding back against me, but I realized that you had been waiting for the right moment."
"I prefer to know my enemy before I attack." I replied. "I don't do blind attacking."
"Well now it's my turn to go all-out against you." the Oracle Think Tank user added as she drew her card and stood her units. She then took a card from her hand and raised it up.
"Maiden of the Sun, descend onto this earth and give this mortal a graceful judgement! Ride! CEO Amaterasu!"
Wiseman vanished, only to be replaced by a young woman wearing a golden kimono with white flower patterns and orange detached sleeves. Her hair, having turned the same lilac color as Misaki, cascaded down her back and was decorated with a golden ceremonial headdress. [CEO Amaterasu - 10000 Power]
"Amaterasu's skill activates. I Soul Charge…" Misaki announced as she put the top card of her deck into her Soul.
[Soul Charge - Battle Sister, Cocoa]
"...And now I can look at the top card of my deck and put it either on the top or bottom of the deck." The lilac-haired girl then took a glance at her next card and nodded to herself. "This will stay on the top."
'That's probably a Trigger of some sort. I should be careful…' I thought to myself. 'I should try and end this quickly. It's still a ways away, but if she manages to get access to Amaterasu's Mega Blast, then I won't have much of a chance. By then she'll have everything she needs.'
"I'll also Call Dark Cat and another Wiseman." Misaki added as she played two more cards.
Down on the battlefield, a mechanical black cat appeared just next to Lozenge Magus. Next to Amaterasu, another Thinker statue rose up. [Dark Cat - 7000 Power], [Oracle Guardian, Wiseman - 10000 Power]
"Calling Dark Cat lets us both draw a card." she explained as the two of us each drew a card. "Now, Wiseman attacks your Vanguard!"
"No guard." I responded.
Wiseman turned its head towards Yoshitsune and unleashed a pair of thin beams from its eyes that hit my Vanguard square in the chest.
"Damage check." I announced as I flipped over the top card.
[Damage Check - Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime - No Trigger]
"Boosted by Dark Cat, Amaterasu attacks your Vanguard!" Misaki declared as she turned her cards sideways.
"I guard with Apsaras! And Thoth Intercepts!" I countered as I slapped down a card from my hand and placed Thoth on the Guardian Circle. [9000 Power + 5000 Shield + 5000 Shield + 5000 Shield = 24000 Power]
"Twin Drive, check…" Misaki added as she flipped over two cards.
[Drive Check - Psychic Bird - Critical trigger]
[Drive Check - Psychic Bird - Critical trigger]
"Damn! Double Critical at a time like this?!" I grit my teeth.
"All effects go to Amaterasu!" Misaki declared. The Oracle Think Tank user then held up her five-card hand. "Amaterasu's skill gives her 4000 Power while I have at least four cards in my hand." [10000 Power + 4000 Power + 7000 Power + 5000 Power + 5000 Power = 31000 Power]
"Tch…" I hissed.
The sun shone behind Amaterasu as her power increased dramatically, allowing the goddess to fire off several bursts of light aimed at my Vanguard. Thoth and Apsaras attempted to defend him, but it was to no avail. The two defending units were dispatched by the attack and Yoshitsune was caught in a barrage of blasts himself.
"Damage check…" I sighed.
[Damage Check - Golden Star Dragon, Huang Long - No Trigger]
[Damage Check - Awakened Warrior, Cu Chulainn - No Trigger]
[Damage Check - Magical Trickster, Pixie - Heal Trigger]
"Heal Trigger! The power goes to my Vanguard and I recover one damage."
"I'll end my turn there." Misaki finished.
Kazuya
Back Row: Ice Spirit, Jack Frost / Fairy Knight, Tam Lin / Lost Soul, Pyro Jack
Front Row: Empty / Sword of Rebellion, Yoshitsune / Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime
Hand: 4
Damage: Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime [U], Golden Star Dragon, Huang Long [U], Awakened Warrior, Cu Chulainn [U], Magical Trickster, Pixie [U]
Misaki
Front Row: Silent Tom / CEO Amaterasu / Oracle Guardian, Wiseman
Back Row: Empty / Dark Cat / Empty
Hand: 5
Damage: Battle Sister, Chocolat [U], Meteor Break Wizard [U], Dark Cat [U], Weather Girl, Milk [U]
"Stand and draw." I announced as I began my turn. Upon drawing my card, I smirked after seeing what I got. I raised the card above my head and chanted.
"Galloping in at the start of the apocalypse, basking in the gentle darkness, guide these foolish souls to the realm of the dead! Ride! Horseman of Death, Pale Rider!"
Yoshitsune vanished in a flash, and a second later, a new figure galloped in on a deathly pale horse with a silver mane that fell over its eyes; a skeletal figure wearing a jet-black hooded cloak and carrying a scythe. [Horseman of Death, Pale Rider - 10000 Power]
"Horseman of Death…" Misaki repeated.
"Pale Rider's skill activates since I rode him while White Rider was in the Soul! I Soul Charge…" I explained as I placed the top card of my deck into the Soul.
[Soul Charge - Deception Beast, Kabuso]
"...And because of that, I can now send one Horseman from my deck to the Drop Zone." I added as I looked through my deck, revealed a copy of White Rider, and placed it in the Drop Zone.
"He's sending his own units to the Drop Zone? What's up with that?" Kamui questioned.
"I'm not sure, but I have a weird feeling about that." Izaki added.
"And now for Pale Rider's other skill…" I smirked while gesturing to my Vanguard. "I Counter Blast two in order to Superior Call any three Zombies from my Drop Zone!"
"Any three?" Misaki repeated. She then gasped as the realization hit her. "That means…!" After I paid the cost, I took my Drop Zone and took out my three desired cards.
"Now, fight as one, my four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!" I announced as I retired all three units in my back row. "Superior Call! Horseman of Conquest, White Rider! Horseman of War, Red Rider! And Horseman of Famine, Black Rider!"
Appearing in place of the three rear-guards were the other three Horsemen, each one riding their respective horses and carrying their signature items. [Horseman of Conquest, White Rider - 6000 Power], [Horseman of War, Red Rider - 7000 Power], [Horseman of Famine, Black Rider - 8000 Power]
"And on top of that, thanks to his skill, Pale Rider gains an additional 3000 Power this turn!" I added as Pale Rider powered up. [10000 Power + 3000 Power = 13000 Power] "Boosted by Red Rider, Kikuri-Hime attacks your Vanguard!"
"I don't guard." Misaki replied.
Receiving power from the Horseman of War [9000 Power + 7000 Power = 16000 Power], the Dragon Goddess once again unleashed her fire attack upon Amaterasu.
"Damage check."
[Damage Check - Battle Sister, Cocoa - No Trigger]
"Heh… And now, boosted by Black Rider, Pale Rider attacks the Vanguard! And as an added bonus from his own skill, I can attack three of your units instead of one!" I continued while turning my cards to the side. 'This is perfect! As long as I can get at least one Critical Trigger, I've got her!'
"Nice try Kazuya, but your attack on my Vanguard is nullified. And I guard Silent Tom with Psychic Bird." she said. And with that, she discarded a card and placed down the one thing that would stop my plans in its tracks.
[Battle Sister, Chocolat - Shield: 0]
'Shit!' I growled in my thoughts as I grit my teeth. 'Of all the things…!'
On the battlefield, as Pale Rider prepared to charge in after receiving his support [13000 Power + 8000 Power = 21000 Power], a young elven woman in dark blue nun's clothing carrying a machinegun appeared out of thin air and began firing her weapon, though she was unable to keep it steady and began to panic once it fired uncontrollably, forcing her to move around as it did so. A few stray bullets grazed Pale Rider's horse, causing it to neigh and back up in retreat.
"Tch… Twin Drive, check." I said flatly.
[Drive Check - Demon Sword, Rakshasa - Critical Trigger]
[Drive Check - Demon Sword, Rakshasa - Critical Trigger]
'No!' I growled.
"No way! He could have used those to win, if only Misaki didn't have that Perfect Guard!" Izaki said in what seemed to be shock.
"Talk about terrible timing…" Kurogasa added.
"I end my turn…"
Kazuya
Back Row: Horseman of Conquest, White Rider / Horseman of Famine, Black Rider / Horseman of War, Red Rider
Front Row: Empty / Horseman of Death, Pale Rider / Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime
Hand: 4
Damage: Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime [F], Golden Star Dragon, Huang Long [F], Awakened Warrior, Cu Chulainn [U], Magical Trickster, Pixie [U]
Misaki
Front Row: Silent Tom / CEO Amaterasu / Empty
Back Row: Empty / Dark Cat / Empty
Hand: 4
Damage: Battle Sister, Chocolat [U], Meteor Break Wizard [U], Dark Cat [U], Weather Girl, Milk [U], Battle Sister, Cocoa [U]
"Stand and draw." Misaki said as she drew her next card, putting her hand at five. "CEO Amaterasu's skill activates; I Soul Charge."
[Soul Charge - Lozenge Magus]
"And now I check the top card of my deck," she added before looking at her next card. "It goes to the bottom." She then slid it under her deck. "Next I call Oracle Guardian, Hermes and Circle Magus!"
Appearing to the right of Amaterasu was another statue-like unit like Wiseman, only this one was a bearded warrior wearing Roman clothing and a cape. Appearing behind Silent Tom was a redheaded woman wearing white and green robes, with various circular plates fixed on her body as armor. [Oracle Guardian, Hermes - 10000 Power], [Circle Magus - 7000 Power]
"Since I called Hermes, you have to play with your hand revealed for the rest of the turn." Misaki explained.
"Alright," I said while turning my cards around.
"Also, reveal the top card of your deck." she added. I quickly drew my next card and grit my teeth at what I saw, but kept my distaste bottled in for the time being. I turned the card around, revealing to Misaki that it was a copy of Magical Trickster, Pixie.
"A Heal Trigger… Sorry Kazuya, but put that card on the bottom of your deck." Misaki told me, prompting me to do just that. "And since I called Circle Magus, I can look at the top card of my deck again." She did so and nodded in thought. "It stays on the top."
'This can't be good…' I mused in my thoughts.
"First off, Wiseman attacks Kikuri-Hime." Misaki announced.
"No guard." I answered back.
Hermes' eyes slid open and a laser fired out from one of them, striking the Dragon Goddess and disposing her from the battlefield.
"With a boost from Circle Magus, Silent Tom attacks your Vanguard!"
"I guard with Apsaras and Kurama Tengu!" I countered as I slapped the two cards down onto the Guardian Circle.
As Silent Tom prepped his fingers to fire bullets at the enemy [8000 Power + 7000 Power = 15000 Power], the blue-skinned dancer and the muscular birdman appeared to defend their leader, taking the brunt of Tom's attack. [10000 Power + 5000 Shield + 5000 Shield = 20000 Power]
"Boosted by Dark Cat, Amaterasu attacks the Vanguard!" Misaki declared finally.
"I guard with two copies of Demon Sword, Rakshasa!" I countered before placing the two cards down. 'Good… so long as she doesn't get two Triggers, I'm safe; even if it took my whole hand to do it, I can still come back from this.'
"Twin Drive, check." Misaki continued before flipping over the top two cards.
I paled the moment she did.
[Drive Check - Oracle Guardian, Nike - Critical Trigger]
[Drive Check - Emergency Alarmer - Stand Trigger]
'Dammit, no!' I growled.
"I give all effects to Amaterasu and I stand Wiseman!" Misaki stated. I felt any chance I had of winning get washed away in that instant. "And because my hand is now greater than four cards, Amaterasu gets another 4000 Power!"
Amaterasu's body glowed with newfound power as the sun once again shone behind her, as if foretelling her victory. [10000 Power + 4000 Power + 7000 Power + 5000 Power + 5000 Power = 31000 Power, Critical: 1-2] As she let forth a barrage of light bursts, two of the raven-haired sword-wielding demons appeared to defend Pale Rider. [10000 Power + 10000 Shield + 10000 Shield = 30000 Power] However, the two of them alone were unable to withstand the barrage of the sun goddess and they fell before vanishing from the field. Amaterasu then strengthened her attacks one final time and succeeded in striking Pale Rider, ending his time on the battlefield.
"Damage check…" I sighed.
[Damage Check - Horseman of War, Red Rider - No Trigger]
[Damage Check - Horseman of Death, Pale Rider - No Trigger]
FINAL RESULTS
Kazuya
Back Row: Horseman of Conquest, White Rider / Horseman of Famine, Black Rider / Horseman of War, Red Rider
Front Row: Empty / Horseman of Death, Pale Rider / Empty
Hand: 4
Damage: Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime [F], Golden Star Dragon, Huang Long [F], Awakened Warrior, Cu Chulainn [U], Magical Trickster, Pixie [U], Horseman of War, Red Rider [U], Horseman of Death, Pale Rider [U]
Misaki
Front Row: Silent Tom / CEO Amaterasu / Oracle Guardian, Hermes
Back Row: Circle Magus / Dark Cat / Empty
Hand: 3
Damage: Battle Sister, Chocolat [U], Meteor Break Wizard [U], Dark Cat [U], Weather Girl, Milk [U], Battle Sister, Cocoa [U]
"And the winner is - Tokura Misaki!" Shin announced, prompting the audience to applaud for us. I didn't say anything, rather I simply walked back to the table I'd been at and leaned forward on it. I just stood there for a solid minute, staring down at the table in disbelief.
'Dammit! Why? Why couldn't I beat her?' I wondered to myself. 'I'd planned out all my moves, my strategies were flawless! So why? Why is it that I lost?'
"Kazuya?"
I turned my head to see Misaki had followed me over to my table and was looking at me as she were concerned for a friend.
"Are you alright?"
I didn't answer for a few second, but finally turned to face her. "Yeah… Yeah I'm fine. Just disappointed that I lost."
"Well you did your best out there." she reassured me. "And that's what matters, don't you think?"
"Tch… Yeah… Yeah I guess you're right." I sighed and calmed down somewhat. "I'm just surprised you were able to stay a step ahead of me the whole time."
"Admittedly I was struggling for the first part of the game despite seeing how you deck works beforehand. I was still learning about it so it was a touch-and-go situation." she added. "But still, that was a good cardfight."
"...Yeah." I finally said. "It was."
"Alright everyone, that concludes our little tournament. And our champion is none other than Kai Toshiki!" Shin announced, which snapped me out of my thoughts and alerting me to how long I'd been contemplating to myself. Everyone clapped and cheered for Kai, but the latter seemed totally indifferent to all of it.
"Hm? Looks like my business is done here for now." I said to myself.
"Also, I have a very special announcement to make!" the manager added. "With the conclusion of the tournament, the winner Kai Toshiki, the runner-up Katsuragi Kamui, and the remaining two of the top four Sendou Aichi and Tokura Misaki, are all now eligible to compete in the Vanguard Regional Tournament. And should they win that, they will qualify for the Nationals."
"Heh… I wonder how things would have turned out if I'd won my match." I mused before I felt someone tapping me on the shoulder. I turned to see Louisa was the culprit.
"Isn't it great that they were able to qualify for a regional tournament?" she asked casually.
"Sure," I said offhandedly.
"So what are you going to do now?" she asked. "After all, you…" She trailed off as I began to laugh to myself, which got gradually louder as time passed. I stood from the table and smirked.
"Seems these guys have left me with no choice." I said while taking out my deck and looking at it for a few moments. "Louisa… We're going to Regionals."
"Eh?!" was her response.
"If I can't qualify through this tournament, then I'll simply make my own team." I told her. "Which is perfect for testing how far my strength truly goes."
I looked towards the newly-formed team that I would soon be fighting against. "Just you all wait. I'll be going full force when we meet again at Regionals."
Alright, and it's finally done! Holy hell, man. I've gotten far too lazy with this story. Even so, now that we've gotten past the boring shop tournament, we can get into stuff that's more exciting! And I promise that this time around I won't take almost half a year to update again.
In any case, now that we've started on the road to Regionals, it's time for you, my trusted readers, to send in submissions for OC's, which I will feature as the opponents for Kazuya's team.
Team Name:
Member #1, #2, or #3 (For convenience sake, #1 should generally be the leader.)
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Personality:
Deck: (State the clan the character uses. If they focus on a particular sub-clan/archetype/ride chain/etc., mention that as well. I won't be taking self-made clans, but I may take individual self-made cards within reason. Also, all cards will otherwise be limited to booster sets 1-5 for the time being.)
Just be light on the details and I can work from there. So get to thinking, readers! Some of you lucky demons and demonesses just might get to see your team competing in the Regional Tournaments.
Now then, I think that about covers everything. So without further delay, this is Master of the Wild Card signing off!
Dragon Goddess, Kikuri-Hime
Grade 2
Normal Unit
Nation - Dark Zone / Clan - Megaten
Race - Noble
Power - 9000 / Shield - 5000
[AUTO]: [Choose a card from your hand, and discard it] When this unit is placed on (VC), you may search your deck for up to one Grade 2 or less card, call it to (RC), and shuffle your deck.
[AUTO]: [Choose a Grade 3 «Megaten» from your hand, and discard it] When this unit is placed on (RC), you may search your deck for up to one Grade 2 or 3 card, put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.
[AUTO] (VC/RC): If this unit attacks a Vanguard, it gets +2000 Power until the end of that battle.
Horseman of Death, Pale Rider
Grade 3
Normal Unit
Nation - Dark Zone / Clan - Megaten
Race - Zombie
Power - 10000
[AUTO]: [Soul Charge (1)] If this unit is placed on (VC) while you have a card with "Horseman" in its card name in your Soul, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to one card with "Horseman" in its card name, put it into your Drop Zone, and shuffle your deck.
[ACT] (VC): [Counter Blast (2)] Choose up to 3 «Megaten» -Zombie- in your Drop Zone, call them to separate (RC), and until end of turn this unit gets +3000 Power and gets "[CONT] (VC): This unit battles three of your opponent's units in one attack.".